Srinagar, March 25: Panic buying of fuel gripped the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday, with serpentine queues snaking outside petrol pumps from Srinagar to north Kashmir districts, as social media rumors of a fuel shortage—triggered by the escalating West Asia conflict—sent residents rushing to fill their tanks.
Witnesses told Kashmir Convener that several fuel stations in north Kashmir ran out of petrol and diesel by the afternoon, further fueling anxiety among the public. The scenes in the Valley mirrored those in several cities across the country, where unfounded rumors of a fuel shortage led to similar panic buying.
“We Kashmiris have seen this before,” said Sarfraz Ahmad, a shopkeeper in Srinagar. “Such rumors in the past turned into reality. We cannot wait for tomorrow. It’s better to fill the vehicle in case of an emergency.”
At a petrol pump on the outskirts of the city, Saleem, a farmer, stood waiting with plastic cans. “It is the agricultural season. We need to spray the orchards. If there is no petrol tomorrow, the motors will not run,” he said.
A college student, Showkat, who was maneuvering his two-wheeler through the queue, said he had no choice but to wait. “It is an emergency declared on social media. I have tuition to attend. Even if my turn comes after two hours, I have to fill the tank today,” he told Kashmir Convener.
Bilal Ahmad, who works at a photography studio in Srinagar, said the panic spread quickly. “I heard that several pumps had already run out of fuel. There was news of shortages. That is why so many people have come to fill up,” he said.
Similar scenes were reported from other districts across the Valley, with long queues persisting throughout the day.
The immediate trigger was the escalating conflict in West Asia, where the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a critical shipping route through which about a fifth of the world’s oil passes—has impacted energy supplies across Asia. India, too, has felt the pinch.
However, the panic was amplified by unverified social media posts claiming an imminent fuel shortage. The situation was exacerbated when ‘No Stock’ signs appeared at some fuel pumps, which dealers attributed to a “sudden change” in supply norms by oil marketing companies (OMCs) that created a temporary cash flow issue.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir administration moved swiftly to dismiss claims of a fuel shortage, advising the public to ignore rumors.
A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Kashmir Convener, “If people continue panic buying, they are artificially inflating demand. When consumers flock to top off their tanks, fuel pumps run dry faster than normal. This could pressure supply chains and create a genuine shortage for essential sectors such as emergency services and agriculture.”
The administration reiterated that there was “sufficient stock” of petrol and diesel in the Union territory and urged citizens not to resort to panic buying.
Notably, amid an existing gas crisis, the panic about petrol and diesel has added to the sufferings of people in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Residents from different parts of Kashmir have reported that there has been “zero supply” of LPG cylinders in their areas for several days, forcing families to struggle with daily cooking needs.
However, the administration also termed all reports baseless, stating there is no shortage of fuel or LPG in the Valley, and asserting that adequate stocks are available and the situation is under close monitoring at multiple levels.
Regarding the LPG crisis, officials said control rooms at the district and divisional levels are actively following up on supply and distribution. The Food and Civil Supplies Department is generating daily reports in a centralized format, which are being reviewed regularly to ensure the public does not face inconvenience.
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